Sumita Kale: A better vocation

Amidst all the uproar about reservations and the consequent focus on the respective enrollment capacities of institutions like AIIMS, IITs and IIMs, the draft approach paper for the 11th Plan comes across as down to earth and downright practical. It asserts, "No society, certainly not at India's stage of economic development, can give everyone high-end skills to make them doctors, engineers ... or even provide university level education to all." It has therefore rightly chosen vocational training as a focal point in its strategy to achieve faster and inclusive growth.

Vocational training is imparted mainly by Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) started by the government in 1950. Originally there were about 50 ITIs but several new private ITIs were established in the 1980s in south India. This was done to meet the rising demand for trained craftsmen in the Gulf. At present, there are 4,047 ITIs, most of which are privately managed. But there's a wide regional disparity in terms of the number of ITIs and the various courses offered. For instance, 91 ITIs in Kerala offer courses in plumbing but only 11 ITIs in UP offer the same course.

Just five per cent of Indians aged 20-24 years have undergone vocational training, as compared to numbers exceeding 60 per cent in developed countries and 20 per cent in countries like Mexico and Columbia. This reflects the high drop out rates from Indian schools. Training should be made more accessible for students who cannot endure the standard school syllabi. In fact, 67 of the 83 trades currently taught at ITIs are being offered to students who've passed eighth standard.

Despite the insufficient supply of skilled labour, a curious paradox exists in the system. A recent FICCI survey reported that seats were being underutilised in 35 of the 69 surveyed ITIs. Clearly, the basic trades offered have limited scope for employment and consequently, students find them unattractive. The Planning Commission has appreciated the need to examine the type of courses and the training quality offered. The body proposes to transform vocational training into an industry, to attract investment and drastically increase the number of vocational courses offered to encompass new sectors. The potential for improvement is immense "" ITIs offer 83 trades compared to 1,500 vocational courses offered in Australia.

Another issue raised by the FICCI survey is the unavailability of equipment like CNC machines which has created a mismatch between training capabilities and industrial demands. But rapidly growing industries cannot afford to sit back, hence, unique solutions are emerging. For example, Pune-based Precision Automation and Robotics India (PARI) Ltd, which designs and manufactures robotic automation systems and industrial robots for Indian and foreign markets, circumvented the problem by providing on job training to a batch of 25 vocational graduates last year and plans to induct 50 graduates this year. Other industries, especially in Maharashtra, are working with the ITIs to revamp course content.

The focus on vocational training comes at a time when Indian companies are globalising and have already seized the initiative for change. The consequent synergy from the government and the private sector could trigger a double digit growth for India.

The author is chief economist at Indicus Analytics and can be contacted at sumita@indicus.net